A coin mechanism is a device which accepts one or more coins, tests the validity of the coins, and permits the proper and intended operation of a vending machine to dispense a product from the machine in response to valid payment. In addition, the coin mechanism must retain the money accepted. In a sense, the coin mechanism acts as a lock or mechanism to prevent products from being dispensed from the vending machine until valid payment is made.
Coin mechanisms have, in the past, employed a relatively large number of parts and have been of relatively complex construction. The large number parts were required to perform the various distinct and important functions of coin acceptance, coin validity testing, and product dispensing. Moreover, the large number parts have usually been cast from metal. Many of the parts used in a conventional coin mechanism are also spring-biased. Metal parts interact on a reliable basis with metal spring elements which create the bias force necessary to make certain parts function effectively.
One of the disadvantages of previous coin mechanisms employing a relatively large number of metal parts, including springs, is that the assembly of the overall mechanism is complex and time-consuming. Orienting all the parts and connecting them together and inserting the springs between the parts involves a significant amount of human labor. The labor costs, as well as the increased costs associated with the fabricating a relatively large number of individual parts, has increased the cost of prior coin mechanisms. Furthermore, the costs of servicing such coin mechanisms is also relatively high, for the same reasons involving complexity in assembly and disassembly of the relatively large number of parts involved.
These and many other considerations applicable to previous coin mechanisms have given rise to the present invention.